New Toons Join ABC Kids Net

Daily Variety reports that ABC Kids Network will announce the addition of new animated shows during its Upfront pitch to media buyers over the next couple of days. The web of outlets includes ABC Family, Disney Channel, Toon Disney and ABC’s Saturday morning block, ABC Kids.

ABC Kids and Disney Channel will pump up their 2004-2005 schedules with the new toon series Disney’s Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, an Old Couple-type of show about mismatched pets, as well as American Dragon: Jake Long, about a human teen who is also a protective dragon. Returning to the Saturday line-up are The Proud Family and Power Rangers DinoThunder.

The new Jetix action block on Toon Disney and ABC Family will expand with the animated epic W.I.T.C.H., based on Disney’s European comic. Also new are the anime warrior monkey series Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go, Alliance Atlantis’ Dragon Booster and Power Rangers DinoThunder. Toon Disney will reportedly stretch its Jetix schedule to 19 hours this fall, coming just shy of the 20 hours now aired by ABC Family.